Gate



Nov. 5 1923. ,L47335 G. B. WOOD ET AL GATE Filed March V51. 1922Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

GERGE B. WOOD, WILLIAM C. BIRD, .AND ERNEST B. PACKARD, OF ROGKLAND,

. MAINE.

GATE.

Application filed March 31, 1922. Serial No. 548,270.

To all whomt may concern.' Y

Be it known that we, GEORGE B, Woon, l/VILLIAM C. BIRD, and EnNns'r B.PACKARD, citizens of the United States, residing at Rockland, in thecounty oit Knoxy and State of Maine, have invented certain new and use`-ful Improvements in Gates, of which the fol` lowing is a full, clear,`and exact description. y p

This invention relates to gate devices for controlling the passage ot asubstance such as coal or limestone, for example, throughV l movements,which eilectively controls the starting and checking of the movements;which permits of a comp-aratively accurate and variable regulation ofthe quantity of the substance passing through the aperture or chute ateach movement; which may be controlled and operated in a simple mannerwith little manual effort; which may be attached to a. lateral orretaining wall and which is simple and inexpensive in construetion.

Other objects and advantages will be apn parent from the followingdescription of an embodiment of the invention and the novel featureswillbe particularly pointed out in claims. In the illustrated embodiment- AFigure 1 is an elevation of a lateral retaining wall for a. pile of coalor limestone having discharge apertures or chutes to which a gate deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention has been applied.;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same taken substantially alongthe line a in Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Figure 3 is avsectional plan of the same taken substantially along theline 'Z2-b of Figure 1 and looking in the directionof the arrow.

In the illustrated embodiment a wall l `physical characteristics, isstored. The wall is reinforced by a pluralit of spaced upright studs 2and cross stuc s' 3 and 117.1A The 'wall 1 is provided at spaced pointstherealong and between the pairs of upright studs 2. with dischargeapertures 5 through which the limestone, coal or similar material is topass. A chute 6 is fitted into each of these apertures and is providedwith a bottom wall 7 which slopesdownwardly and away from the wall 1. Apair of sector members 8 are pivoted at their apex ends to the chute atpoints adjacent the discharge aperture with the aXis of the pivots lyingsubstantially in the plane of the bottom wall'7 of the chute. An arcuatecross plate 9 connects the outer ends of the sector members 8, thecurvature of the plate 9 being cylindrical with the axis of curvaturelying substantially in the axis of rotation of the' sector members 8.The cross plate abuts closely against the outer and lower edge of thebottom wall 7 oi the chute so that as the sector members are carriedupwardly the cross plate will move from below the bottom wall 7 upwardlyacross the discharge aperture of the chute t0 various extents. The limeistone passing along the bottom wall of the Vchute will engage'fthe crossplate and its movement will be checked thereby.

Pulleys 10 are disposed at each side of the discharge apertureiandsupported from the cross stud 3. Similar pulleys 11 are carried by thelower cross stud f1. An endless flexible cable 12 passes over the pairof pulleys at each side of each chute, and each cable at one point 13 isconnected to the adjacent side of the sector member 8 so that movementsof the cable 12 will impart a corresponding movement to the sectormembers and the cross plate 9. The sector members and the cross platetogether form a gate member which is controlled by the endless cables ateach side thereof.

An air hoist 14 is suspended vfrom the cross stud 3 between each pairkof pulleys 10. The movable piston 15 of the air hoist is connected atits lower end through a cable 16 to a heavy weight 17, which may beconveniently formed of concrete. The weight 17 is connected at itsopposite ends Vto the endless cables 12 by suitable connectors 18, sothat ifthe weight is released it will descend and cause a movement ofthe cables 12in one direction and through them cause' a movement of lthegate member in vided for -eaclr air hoist and iiexibleoper Vating cordsz20 extend from the arms ofthe -controlling valve 19 so that vanoperatorstanding at one side of the chute will be able to control the activityVof the air hoist and through it control the movements of the weight andgateY member. The con* nections between the weight and the members 12are preferably such that when the Weight is released the cables will bemoved in a direction to pull the gate member upwardly so as to restrictthe flow of coal or limestone through the chute. The upward limit ofmovement of the. gate member is reached when the weight 17 rests uponthe upper facev of the chute. lBy operating the air hoist the .movementsof the gate member may .be easily controlled so that the flow throughthe .chute ljnay be accurately controlled and measured.

A plurality of heavy finger bars or irons 21- are pivotally suspended at22 from the upper wall of the chute for movement inwardly vand outwardlyin the chute. These bars maybe conveniently formed of heavy railroadiron and the lower ends are curved inwardly toward the wall andterminate a short distance from the lower wall'of the chutesoas to leavea restricted portion of the chuteunder the sole control of the gatemember. The weight of the irons 2l is sufficient to enable them tonormally retard the flow through the chute except as to thelowerfrestricted portion Vwhich is under control of the gate member. Aplurality of chains 23 yare vconnected to the ,irons 21 and to theweight 17, and when the weight isin the lowermost position the chainshang loosely 4with some slack. After theweight has been elevated throughapproximately half its` travelthe slack .inthe chains will be taken up,and further upward movement of the weight will cause a lifting of theirons 21 byV the chains 23. As the irons are lifted their restrainingeffect upon the pile of limestone or coal will be removed and a largermass of the vlimestone or coal will pass through the chute. Theconnections between the .cable andthe gate member aresuch that duringthe first half of the upward movement of the weight, the gate memberwill be moved vating conveyor bucket 24 is mounted 'on a trackway 25 so.thatA the bucket can vbe disposed below the chute and adjacent theretoVfor receiving the limestone or coal passing Y through the chute and canthen be operated to carry the bucket upwardly to a point at which itscontents may be discharged. Y In the use of the device the bucket 24 islowered below the chute and an attendantj operates the controlling valve19 of the` air hoist by means of thecable 20. The energization of theair hoist causes an upward movement of the movable plunger 15 whichycarnes the weight upwardly against the act-ion .of gravity. As theweight 17 moves upwardly it will causeamovementcof the cables 12whichwill carry the gate member downwardly below the bottom wall of the chute.and release thelimestone or coal that is resting against the lateralwall 1 and against the gate membervfor movement into the bucket 24. Whena sufiicient quantity has been admitted to the bucket 24 the operatorvby another1 movement vof .the cable 20 will operate the air hoist topermit of a descent of the weight 17, and the latter in .descending willcarry the gate member upwardly to check the movement of coal orlimestone from the chute into t-he bucket. The bucket may then be pulledupwardly to a point atV vwhich it may be discharged in a suitablemanner,such as .into alime kiln. The control of the movements of the weight-17by the vvalve member. `19,0f the'air hoist is sufficient to insure avery accurate `and reliable control of the gate member.

Itl .frequently happens ythat the coal or limestone resting against thefinger barsrbecomes packed together' sufficiently so that when the Agate`member is dropped no movenient of the coal or .limestone will occur. Y

In such situations it is necessary that some means be provided vfo-rstartingthe movement. In thisdevice7 after thegate member has beendropped below the lower wallV of the chute, a'` further upward movementof the weight 17 Vwill VVelevate finger bars 21 Aand release .the massof coal or limestone restrained thereby. Upon the starting of thismovement, .the finger bars may be low-V ered again by a loweringof theweight 1 7,

so .as to restrain the movementfto fa. rate which may be readilycontrolled bythe gate member.

' We have found that this: gate device is effective, economical andsatisfactory in handling limestone and coal, but obviously it is equally`applicable. to the handling of it flac other substances having similarvphysical characteristics. It will beob-vious that various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts in the embodiment herein described forthe purpose of explaining the nature of the invention may be made bythose skilled in the art within 'the principle and scope of theinvention.

Claims:

l. ln Aa gate device, a late-ral vwall having an aperture therein, achute leading from the aperture, a gate member hinged for movementfromia position below the Vchute upwardly acrossthe lower part of thechuteto variable extents, pulleysv arranged above and below the chute,and an endless cable passing between and co-operating with said pulleys,said cable being connected at one point to said gate member to operatethe latter' in a direct-ion dependent upon the direction of, movement ofthe cable.

2. In a gate device, la lateral wall having an aperturetherein, a chuteleading from the aperture, a gate member hinged for movement from aposit-ion below the' chute upwardly across the lowerpart of the chute tovariable. extents, pulleys arranged above and below the chute, anendless cable passing between and coi-operating with` said pulleys, saidcable being connected at one point to said gate member to operate thelatter in a direction dependent upon the direction of movement of thecable, vand a weight connected to saidcable and adapted when released tooperate the same in one direction and thereby operate the gate member inone direction.

3. In a gate device, a. lateral ywall having an aperture therein, achute leading from the aperture, a gate member hinged for movement froma position below the chute upwardly across the lower part of the chut-eto variable extents, pulleys arranged above and below the chute, an endless cable passing between and co-operating with said pulleys, saidcable ,being connec-ted at one point to said gate member to operate thelatter in a direction dependent upon the direction of movement of thecable, a weightconnected to said cable and adapted when released toopera-te the samey in one direction and thereby opera-te the gate memberin one direction, and a power device connected to operate the weightagainst the action of gravity.

l. ln a gate device, a lateral wall having an aperture, a chute leadingfrom the aperture and having an inclinedV bottom` wall', a gate memberpivoted for movement upwardly or downwardly across the lower end oi' thechute to variably restrict the passage of material alo-ng said chute,pulleys arranged above and below the chute, an endless cable passingbetween and cooperating with, said pulleys, said cable being connectedat' one point to said gate member to operate the samein a directiondependent upon the direction of movement of the cable, and me chanicaldevices for operating the cable in both directions to causecorresponding movements of the gate member.

, 5. ln a gatel device, a lateral wall having a discharge aperture, agate member operable across the lower part of the aperture to variousextents tofclieck the passa-ge oif material through the aperture, aplurality of heavy linger bars freely suspended endwise across the upperpart of said aperture for in and out movement and normally restrictingmovement ot' material through the aperture to the lower portion thereofwhich is under the sole control of the gate member, and means forswinging the bars outwardly and upwardly to start: movement of thematerial through the aperture when thel opening of the gate member failsto start-it.

6. In a gate device, a' lateral wall having a discharge aperture, a gatemember carried by the wall and operable across the lower part of theaperture to various extents to check the passage of material through theaperture, a weight, means including a connection between the weight andthe gate member for operating the gate member in one direction when theweight falls by gravity, a power device for lifting the weight to causean opposite movement ot the gate member, heavy bars suspended endwiseacross the upper portion oit said aperture and terminating above thelower wall oi' the aperture, connections between said bars and saidweight whereby movement of the weight beyond a determined extent inopening the gate member will cause an outward movement olf' the bars torelease the mass held in check by said bars. v

7. In a gate device, a lateral Wall having a discharge aperture, a gatemember carried byv the wall and operable upwardly across the lower partof the aperture to various extents to check the passage of materialthrough the aperture, a weight, a pulley above the aperture, a pulleybelow the aperture, an endless cable passing between and in operativerelation with said pulleys and v connected to said weight and to saidgate member whereby the weight in falling will operate the gate memberin one direction, a power device for lifting the weight to cause anoperation of the gate member in the opposite direction, heavy bars.suspended endwise in said aperture from a point adjacent the upper wallof the aperture and terminating some distance above the lower wall ofthe aperture, connections between the bars and said weight wherebymovement of the weight beyond a determined extent in opening the gatemember will cause an outward movement of the bars to release the massheld in check by said bars.

V8. In a gate device, a lateral wall having a vd'SCllillge aperture, anundercutv gate mem-- ber and overhung freely suspended weights forjointly controlling the passage of `material through the aperture, andmeans partially common to the member and over'hung weights forcontrolling their movements.

9. In a gate device, a .lateral wall having a discharge aperture,V anundercut gate member' and overhung freely suspended weights forjointlycontrolling passage of material through the aperture, and mechanicalmechanism for operating said member and weights to control the passageof material through the aperture.

l0. .In a Agate de\fice, a lateral wall 'havin-g a discharge aperture; agate member controlling the moven'iento'f material through the lowerpart ot the aperture,l relatively heavy bars freely suspended in theupper partoi the aperture to control the movement of material tlu'oughthe upper partof the Vaperture and operable outwardly tol permitcontrolling the 'passa-ge of material through the lower portion oftheaperture, and heavy bars suspended -freely across the upper part ofthe aperture so as te control the movement- Yheavyinger aars freelysuspended endwise across the vupper part of saidaperturefor in and outmovement and normally restrict-l y mg movement otmaterial throughtheaperf ture to the lower portion thereof lwhich'is under thesolecontrol of the gate member, means for operating the gate, anda'connection between the means and the bars whereby movement of thegatein an opening direction beyond av determined extent will 'cause vanoutward movement of the bars to Arelease the mass normally held in checkVby thebars. f

GEORGE B. woon.

IVILLIAM C. BIRD. ERNEST B. PACKARD.`

.Uli

